Solomon said, “Money is the answer to everything” in Ecclesiastes 10:19.
The question is whether it’s the answer to Rob Gronkowski’s future with the Patriots.
The team and the Gronkowski camp have chatted recently with the all-world tight end’s contract in mind, and that’s certainly a good sign.
Fix the contract. Pay him more like what he’s actually worth. Just taking a look at the deals free-agent tight ends Trey Burton and even receivers Sammy Watkins and Allen Robinson have signed this offseason, Gronk is clearly underpaid.
So pay the man. It’s just hard to read the tea leaves and know if more money guarantees a Gronk revival, because there are so many other issues at play here.
Top on the list is whether more money fixes the issues Gronkowski has with his head coach, such as being called out early in the season by Bill Belichick for subscribing to the TB12 method of training. Gronk continues to work with Alex Guerrero, and it’s clear Tom Brady’s trainer conflicts with what the Patriots training staff asks.
Under his current deal, Gronkowski is set to make $8.9 million this season and $10 million next season. With the incentives he reached in 2017, he made just over $10 million.
With just under $14 million in cap space, the Patriots could use some of that to make Gronk happy. It could be another incentive-like deal like last year, or just rip up the contract and sign him to an extension.
He’s also dealing with an expansive injury history that’s weighing on his mind. Back problems, concussions, ankle surgery, arm surgery. The 28-year-old is no stranger to operating rooms and rehabs.